Bicycle.



Patented May 29, |900. E. BHINE.

BICYCLE.

f (Application filed June 9, 1896. Renewed may 8, 1900.)

(No Modal.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

EDWARD RHINE, OF MOUNT VERNON, N'EW' YORK.

srncrrcaioti 'forming part or Letters Patent No. 650,796, aaien May a9, i900. Application filed linie 9, 1896. Renewed May 8, 1900. Serial No. 15,94*?. (No moel.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARD RHN'E, a resident of Mount Vernon, Westchester county, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to bicycle drivinggear, and has for its object to produce an efficient bicycle driving-gear which may be applied to existing forms of bicycles.-

My invention consists in the construction hereinafter set forth and claimed.

My invention will be understood by referring to the accompanying drawings.

In thedrawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a bicycle, partly broken away and in section, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the fork and steering-head of a bicycle, showing the arrangement of the shafts which I employ. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, exhibiting also the section-line 2 2, on which the section Fig. 2 is taken.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, I have shown in Fig. 1 a bicycle of the diamond-frame type, consisting of front and rear traction-wheels 1 2, a seat-post 3, a seat 4, a steering-head 5, a front fork 6, a rear-fork frame 7 8, a crank-hanger 9, a connectingbar 10, connecting the seat-post 3 and the steering-head 5, and an inclined tubular strut 11, running from the crank-hanger to the steering-head. Journaled in the crank-hanger is a suitable crank 12, provided with the usual pedals 13 13, and a sprocket-Wheel14, which is geared, by means of a sprocket-chain 15, with a sprocket 16 on the rear-wheel axle. Mounted also upon the crank-shaft is a spur-gear 17, which meshes with a bevel-pinion 18, carried upon the end of a shaft 19, passing through the tubular strut 11 or hollow portion of the frame and being operatively held therein by thrust-collars 2O 21. The opposite end of the shaft 19 is projected through an elongated aperture 40 in the steering-head 5 and is provided with a bevel-pinion 22, which meshes with a bevel-pinion 23, carried upon a short vertical shaft hung in a bracket 25 in the hollow front fork forming part of the hollow steering-head 5. At the opposite end of this shaft is a bevel-pinion 26, which meshes with another bevel-pinion 27 on a horizontal shaft 28, hung in a bracket 29 in th front fork 6. At the opposite end of this shaft 28 is a pinion 30, which meshes with a pinion 31, carried upon the upright shaft 32, hung in thrust-collars 33 34 in the front fork 6. This shaft 32 carries a bevelpinion 35, which meshes with a bevel-pinion 37 on the shaft 36 of the front traction-wheel 1.

It is thought that the operation of this de vice will be obvious without explanation, it being understood that the gear 17 is fast upon the crank-shaft 12, so that rotation of the pedals and crank will cause the various shafts intervening between the axle of the front wheel and the crank to rotate, thereby rotating the front wheel through the medium of its axle. It will of course be obvious that the rear Wheel of the bicycle will at the same time be rotated by the sprockets and chain, so that both of the wheels of the bicycle will be driven from the crank.

By reason of the fact that the hollow steering-head 5 is apertured or cut away, as indicated at 40, the shaft 19, which projects through said cut-away portion into the hollow head, will not interfere with the axial movement of the head, which is necessary in steering the cycle. Such accelerating or retarding action as may be given to the front wheel while the handle-bar is being turned in steering is so slight that no appreciable effect is noticeable in practice.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to drive the front wheel of a bicycle by means of gearing, as such a construction is shown in United States Letters Patent to R. K. Hartley, No. 484,712, dated October 18, 1892. I am likewise aware that it is not broadly new to drive both wheels of a bicycle from a common crank, such a construction being shown in Letters Patent to Caleb L. Cunningham, No. 559,934, patented May 12, 1896.

WhatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- A bicycle comprising a frame which is hollow in parts, front and rear traction-wheels, a pedal-driven crank-shaft, suitable connections between said crank-shaf t and rear traction-wheel, a driving-shaft contained within a hollow part of the frame and adapted to rotate the front traction-wheel and intermediate shafts and bevel-gear connections be- IOO with relation to the frame of the bieyele when the steering-head is turned to change the dixo reetion of movement of the bicycle, substantially as and for the purposes speeied.

" EDWARD RHINE.

Vitnesses:

GEORGE H. ENGELHAi-m, GEO. E. MORSE. 

